She stands 72 meters tall and dominates the landscape for up to 35 kilometers. She can be seen everywhere in Da Nang and surrounding areas, including out to see. She is thought, by the locals, to be the protector of sailors. Continue reading →

Hoi An, also known as Faifoo, is a beautiful old town with a population of around 100,000. Even better, it feels smaller, cozy even. Originally a port and trading city, the influences from countries around the world are omnipresent. The Old Quarter is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, so hopefully the charms will remain in the face of Vietnam’s rapid growth everywhere else.

I’ve never sworn so much in my life as when I am driving in Vietnam. Often I am glad I have a visor over my face to muffle the language. Frequently I cuss at people in Spanish just to be sure they can’t understand me. If I ever were to learn how to swear proficiently and throw a shit-fit on the road in Vietnamese, it could be very detrimental to my health.

Predictability is something that does not exist on the roads of Vietnam. Take this pop quiz to see if you’re ready to drive here. Continue reading →

Popular opinion is that renewing a Vietnam visa is easy. They say, “if you have a three month visa, you don’t even need to leave the country, either go to immigration or have a service process your extension for you…three more months…no problems.” You can do it three times – a full year of Vietnam travel without ever having to leave the country. Excellent!

Well, not so much. Be forewarned, sometimes it’s not all that straightforward.